While once merely considered a utilitarian essential, the oral care industry has undergone something of a makeover, with a new breed of brands making stylish toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash that transform oral care into an enjoyable ritual. The new wave of chic, instagram-friendly brands are working to make dental hygiene cool again, with products that you’ll both want to display proudly on your bathroom cabinet and actually use twice a day.
While we’ve covered luxury toothpastes and mouthwashes before, there’s a small but dedicated subsection of natural and botanical-based toothpaste brands working to make us rethink what we put in our mouths. Free from potentially undesirable synthetic ingredients and preservatives (think parabens, SLS, artificial sweeteners, and triclosan), the best natural toothpastes in Australia instead employ a range of natural ingredients like botanicals, superfoods, xylitol, and even probiotics to clean your teeth and freshen your breath.
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Should you avoid fluoride in toothpaste?
To fluoride or not to fluoride, that is the question. While many natural toothpastes opt to leave fluoride out of the equation, it’s essential to understand what fluoride is and how it affects your dental health in order to make an informed decision.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water sources worldwide (like lakes, oceans, and rivers), as well as in certain foods such as tea, coffee, spinach, grapes, and wine. It has long been used in conventional toothpastes for its ability to strengthen teeth and aid in preventing cavities and decay. Some natural toothpastes exclude fluoride from their formulas due to concerns about toxicity at very high levels, however the research on this is mixed. Currently, fluoride is the only known toothpaste ingredient that is proven to strengthen tooth enamel and significantly reduce the risk of cavities.
Does xylitol reduce cavities?
Xylitol has recently been touted as an alternative to fluoride. A naturally occurring sugar alcohol, xylitol has been found to inhibit the growth of the bacteria that causes cavities, resulting in less plaque formation on the teeth and a reduction in decay-causing bacteria that survives on the teeth.
The 5 best natural toothpaste brands in Australia
Herewith, 5 of the best natural toothpaste brands in Australia, with both fluoride and fluoride-free options.
1. Gem
A definitively shelfie-worthy brand, the expansive Gem range spans toothpaste, sustainable toothpaste bites, mouthwash, breath spray, dental floss, and whitening tools. With flavours like coconut mint, crisp mint, and apple mint, Gem’s take on natural toothpaste replaces fluoride with hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring mineral that works to restore tooth enamel, prevent tooth decay and cavities, and remineralise teeth. The first toothpaste to contain oral probiotics, the Gem range spotlights natural minerals and plant oils, with a standout product being the mouthwash; formulated with neem, propolis, and chlorophyll, it helps promote total mouth health and encourage a healthy oral microbiome.
Brand: Gem
Fluoride: fluoride-free
2. ROCC Naturals
Placing sustainability at its forefront, ROCC Naturals house their natural toothpaste in fully biodegradable and recyclable tubes. With two hero products, the B12 Mint + Coconut Oil and River Mint + Green Tea, ROCC Naturals formulas utilise calcium carbonate to gently clean teeth and slough away plaque; baking soda to cleanse and whiten; green tea and coconut oil for their antibacterial properties; river mint for freshness; and natural sweeteners like xylitol, stevia, and sorbitol.
Brand: ROCC Naturals
Fluoride: fluoride-free
3. Lovebyt
Natural oral care brand Lovebyt creates botanically-based toothpastes, mouthwashes, and dental floss. Their natural toothpaste offering utilises anti-bacterial peppermint and tea tree oils in their formulas, alongside eucalyptus oil to fight cavities, xylitol to inhibit the bacteria that causes plaque, and calcium hydrogen phosphate to remove stains and gently whiten teeth. Plus, if you’re in the market for a natural mouthwash, Lovebyt’s iteration packs a minty punch that leaves your mouth tingling post-rinse.
Brand: Lovebyt
Fluoride: fluoride-free
4. Archie
A vividly sensorial natural toothpaste brand, Archie toothpastes feature unique flavours like shocking rose, lemonade storm, and cinnamon bang to make the tooth brushing experience one to look forward to. Rather than a classic toothpaste consistency, Archie is a ‘toothgel’, housed in a chic reusable glass bottle and made from ingredients like glycerin, zinc oxide, silica, glyceryl caprylate, and xanthan gum.
Brand: Archie
Fluoride: fluoride-free
5. Grants of Australia
One of the OG natural toothpaste brands, Grants of Australia has been around for over 30 years. Readily available in supermarkets, Grants of Australia offer a budget-friendly range of natural toothpaste, with both fluoride and fluoride-free options in flavours like cinnamon, peppermint, and spearmint, as well as blueberry and strawberry for kids.
Brand: Grants of Australia
Fluoride: fluoride and fluoride-free options
Words by T. Angel
